What was it like attending UT in 1998?

[Volwonder1]

I was a freshman in 98. Campus was pretty ugly and run down looking, but the strip had a lot more character. Now it just has the same corporate chain stuff every other strip has.

The Florida game was my first game in Neyland. What an introduction. I was in Section E Row 16. When Florida missed that kick, you had no choice but to follow the wave of fans onto the field. A friend (that I met later on) still has a piece of the goal post that the fire department cut up. I unfortunately was home in middle Tennessee during the Fiesta Bowl. I did go the SEC championship game in 2001 and was ready to go the Rose Bowl that year, but we all know how that turned out...

Oooh the infamous 2001 SEC Championship game...what coulda been..
instead ended up being a launching pad and boosting a certain coach (we know who) to the Mount Rushmore of college coaches.
If only Jamarcus Russell had not been knocked out that game.

 

[Warriorvol]

Nothing like it, the atmosphere had electric energy in the air. When we beat florida, my friend dennis t got on the goal posts. His picture was in the usa today the next day. Helped carry the goal posts down cumberland. Still have a piece cut from it. Was able to go to all home and away games during that time. Nothing like owning alabama and georgia.

 

[Warriorvol]

Nothing like it, the atmosphere had electric energy in the air. When we beat florida, my friend dennis t got on the goal posts. His picture was in the usa today the next day. Helped carry the goal posts down cumberland. Still have a piece cut from it. Was able to go to all home and away games during that time. Nothing like owning alabama and georgia.

 

[SDV]

Went from 1994-1999. This thread brings back so many wonderful memories of the 1998 season and overall experience at UT during that general timeframe. It was truly a wonderful time to be a student there. The campus was electric

 

[FLVOL_79]

I remember contemplating getting my free student ticket for the Florida game then realized fools were camping outside the UC for like a day or two to be first in line so I passed. Some lady gave me 4 free tickets before the game because I think her kids crapped their pants or something and she had to leave. Worked out well for me.

 

[feathersax]

Our son was a freshman in the POTS Band in 1998. First trip on 747 with pep band, cheerleaders & President Joe Johnson. He ended up attending 50 games in 4 years with POTS as Vols NEVER lost to Bama. We attended many games, too. Fun times.

 

[MikeInFla]

I graduated from UT in 94 so I had to experience the season on TV. We were living in Missouri in 98 and we had no Vol friends at all there so I had no one to celebrate with other than my wife. I remember the Arkansas game on CBS was interrupted by a special report on Saddam Hussein. I was pissed! But I did get the see the miracle fumble and watched all the games. Was an excellent season, I still have the SI issue from the Championship. When I did attend games from 90-94 the place was always rockin'. My wife (whom I was dating at the time) had a class with Peyton.

 

[HooahVol]

Funny this thread is here. I just had this conversation with my 14 year old daughter. I tried to explain how loud Neyland used to be. How the noise would literally cause the television cameras to shake. How you stood the whole time. How students snuck into the stadium (pre-911 so security was not as tight) and you would just have a hoard of people everywhere. It is sincerely depressing to me that my 14 year old has no memory of Tennessee being good at football.

 

[utchs81]

Our son was a freshman during the 98 campaign. He did attend a couple of games But he held little interest in football or any sports for that matter. I would have given a body part to have been there during that season

 

[ArmchairQB]

I lived on Highland Avenue in the Fort in 1998. That's about what you would expect it to be like. Was neat seeing people pour out of their apartments after a Florida game in September, *knowing* that that meant we had probably just won the national championship, and then it happening.

 

[Ghost of Archvol]

I was in middle school during the national title season, so obviously I wasn't a student at UT. I was fortunate to attend some big games that year, but I was a kid. I'm a history buff on things like these. If you were a student during the 1998 football season, hit me with some cool memories as in: Everyday campus, football games, etc.

magical. i was in my second year of grad school and working almost full-time. i had a little money to follow the team to atlanta/arizona. at the last minute, i had to bail on the bcs nat'l champ game and almost instantly regretted it. i did however get to attend the greatest party on cumberland ave. ever. i think i said, "i don't believe it." a thousand times.

 

[lukeneyland]

We hung our pre-game at the Varsity Inn and sang out with the one man band:

"Well, I was drunk the day my mom got out of prison
And I went to pick her up in the rain
But before I could get to the station in my pickup truck
She got runned over by a damned old train

And I'll hang around as long as you will let me
And I never minded standing' in the rain
No, a' you don't have to call me darlin', darlin'
You never even call me
Well I wonder why you don't call me
Why don't you ever call me by my name "

I remember drunkenly belting that out with a crowd on the walk to the stadium vs OU in 2015 good times. Miss being excited on game day

 

[BigOrangeYankees]

It was fun to go to a game and not even have the thought of losing cross your mind. The pre and post game call in shows were a lot more fun. Heck I’d even go back to just having a shot to win.

This 100%!!!! I never went to a game thinking we were going to lose or compete. We won so many games in the 90's it was awesome, fun, exciting. Now........no comment.

 

[GrizzlyVol]

Oooh the infamous 2001 SEC Championship game...what coulda been..
instead ended up being a launching pad and boosting a certain coach (we know who) to the Mount Rushmore of college coaches.
If only Jamarcus Russell had not been knocked out that game.

Rohan Davey not JaMarcus Russell

 

[VaBornVol]

Pre 9/11, I remember multiple airplanes pulling banners above campus, and almost every home game had a blimp that I can remember. Even now when I hear a Cessna bussing around it takes me back to game days in Knoxville

 

[Vol524]

I was there way before 1998.

 

[GulfCoasterVol]

From a Football stand point... it was much better.....

 

[SockeyeVol]

I attended 96-00. I remember the Florida game when we won in OT after Florida missed a FG. I was in the first row of the upper deck in the student section. As soon as he missed the kick I sprinted out of the upper deck to try and rush the field. By the time I got down the ramp to the lower deck the goalposts were already torn down and headed out of the stadium. It was insane how fast it happened. My roommate ended up with a couple handfuls of turf which I think he still has to this day.

First post, 12 years after registering? Impressive.

 

[daj2576]

Was there 97-02.

I can't explain what it was like, other than I still talk almost daily with the group of friends I made there. It was amazing.

 

[airvols]

It was perfect, it was like the Democrats and Republicans agreeing on everything, the whole state was painted Orange and Alabama was just another team.

 

[molsen81]

00-04 and there were definitely alum on campus that thought we should be in the championship game every year. You knew a player when you saw one because he would be bombarded with autograph requests. They were eating it up. The 2001 game in the Swamp was epic. Gator fan threw a hotdog at me after the amazing win. I was disappointed because it only had ketchup and no mustard..........why?

 

[Cobb-Webb 1989]

I was there way before 1998.

Yeah,
Started going to the Hill in 83

From about 89 and up was sure great. We came so close with Andy Kelly and the gang.

As a fan nobody's tail sat on the seats and if you were not still hoarse on the next Wednesday you did not do the job as a fan.

My older brother went to UT from 82 - 86 and he went to the Sugar Bowl when we smoked Miami. Best UT-coached / excuted game that I ever watched, when Powell broke through that hole and ran to the left sideline he was gone.

 

[PlanetVolunteer]

00-04 and there were definitely alum on campus that thought we should be in the championship game every year. You knew a player when you saw one because he would be bombarded with autograph requests. They were eating it up. The 2001 game in the Swamp was epic. Gator fan threw a hotdog at me after the amazing win. I was disappointed because it only had ketchup and no mustard..........why?

The lizards do not know the ways of us humans.

 

[Carl Pickens]

I was in middle school during the national title season, so obviously I wasn't a student at UT. I was fortunate to attend some big games that year, but I was a kid. I'm a history buff on things like these. If you were a student during the 1998 football season, hit me with some cool memories as in: Everyday campus, football games, etc.

Students partied a lot, drank a lot of beer, smoked a lot of weed.... had recreational sex and enjoyed Saturdays

 

[UTalum04]

I was in town in '99 for the ND night game. I borrowed a buddy's student ID to get in. There were chants of "Rudy" and "Knock Knock Raynoch" all night from the student section. We kicked their #$$! After the game you'd grab a twelver and walk from party to party in the fort. Walked up on one with a couch burning in the front yard and a guy standing on top of a second story gable chugging beers. They kept firing beers up until he jumped. He dusted himself off and join the crowd. I think in '00 we got voted #1 party school and the administration clamped down on the drinking around campus. That's when the culture shift began. Now we have crap football, seating torn out of our coliseum for empty club seats, and a bunch of mom's putting on fashion shows around Circle Park. It was fun while it lasted and I truly believe the lack of success ever since has been a culture problem.